Former NFLer Ray Easterling Dies

Earlier this afternoon I received confirmation from Ray Easterling’s lawyer, Larry Coben, that Easterling committed suicide. No additional information is available at this time.

Easterling was the lead plaintiff in the first NFL concussion lawsuit filed in federal court, Easterling v. NFL.

Presumably, Easterling’s family will eventually file a wrongful death lawsuit against the NFL. If so, this will be the seventh wrongful death complaint filed against the NFL.

Easterling’s suicide is among several other former players that have taken their life after their respective NFL careers. The families of Dave Duerson, Curtis Whitley, and Shane Dronett each filed a wrongful death complaint alleging that the player’s cause of death was directly linked to concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).